We will step in if there's mass exclusion in SIR of Bihar electoral rolls: SC

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it would intervene without delay if there is large-scale exclusion of voters in Bihar's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, while underscoring that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is a constitutional body bound to operate within the law.

- MPOST BUREAU

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi scheduled hearings on August 12 and 13 for a batch of petitions challenging the ECI's ongoing revision exercise in the state. The bench directed both the petitioners and the poll panel to submit their written arguments by August 8, appointing nodal officers from both sides to coordinate filings.

Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioners, alleged that a significant number of eligible voters were being excluded from the draft list, set for publication on August 1. Bhushan referred to an ECI statement noting that 65 lakh people had not submitted enumeration forms, with the Commission categorising them as deceased or permanently relocated.

Such individuals, he said, would have to reapply for inclusion in the electoral rolls.